Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.C. group of nine awarded to Group Captain J. K. Summers, Royal Air Force, a Camel Ace with 8 Victories who was shot down by Lothar von Richthofen and taken prisoner
Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse inscribed (Capt., R.F.C.); 1914-15 Star (2.Lieut., R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. (Capt., R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals, M.I.D.; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Iraq, Active Service Medal, the group mounted as worn and sold with an attractive R.F.C. sweetheart brooch and the following shooting awards: R.A.F. Iraq Rifle and Pistol Association, silver medal, 50 mm (Winners, Unit Championships, 45 Bombing Sqdn. 1926); a similar medal in bronze (Individual Rifle Championship 1925, Runner up, F/Lt. J. K. Summers, M.C.); R.A.F. Iraq Rifle and Pistol Association, silver medal etched in black with R.A.F. Eagle, 42 mm, ‘1925 Winners, Rifle Eight’; a similar shield-shaped medal etched with Arab boat and palms, 40 x 38 mm, ‘Rifle Championship, Winning Team 1924’, named on the reverse; 45 Squadron Shooting Medal, silver-gilt, 38 mm (Individual Rifle Champion 1928); two similar medals in silver (1927 Lewis Gun Match, Winning Pair, S/Ldr J. K. Summers, Cpl Collins; 1927 Inter-Flight Rifle Competition, Winners - HQI); R.A.F. Shotwick, unnamed shooting medal in bronze and enamels, and an original portrait photograph, generally good very fine (18)

M.C. London Gazette 18 July, 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has continuously performed valuable work in co-operating with the Artillery. He has on many occasions flown at a very low altitude in order to give information to the infantry, which has proved of the utmost value.’
John Kenneth Summers was born on 22 December, 1894, son of John Alexander Summers, sometime Professor of English at the Chinese college at Canton. He was commissioned in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 25 January, 1915, then joining the Royal Flying Corps as an observer. In May he went to 3 Squadron, flying in Morane Parasols but after five months of operations he returned to Castle Bromwich for pilot training. He rejoined 3 Squadron in June 1917, serving until October, and being awarded the Military Cross. ‘Boom’ Trenchard then insisted that he should be rested, but Summers managed to get a job as liaison officer with the 1st Brigade Headquarters, and then got himself posted back to his Squadron. He eventually returned to home establishment, but came back to France in June 1918, where he was given a flight in 209 Squadron, flying Camels. He flew many ground attack missions and in air fighting claimed eight victories. On 12 August his flight was engaged by JG 1 and he and two of his pilots were shot down. Summers was taken prisoner and was ‘entertained’ by his captors of the famed Richthofen Circus, meeting the man who had shot him down - Leutnant Lothar von Richthofen of Jasta 11; he had been the German’s 40th and last victory. After the War Summers undertook two navigation courses, and in 1923 joined No. 45 Squadron in Iraq, taking command in 1926. At the end of 1928 he went to Headquarters, Air Defence of Great Britain at Uxbridge. Several postings in Bomber Command followed, and in 1940 he became Commanding Officer of the Blenheim Operational Training Unit. In 1941 he went to Rhodesia to form the Combined Air Observers’ School, but he retired in 1943, settling in Rhodesia where he became a farmer. (Ref. Above the Trenches, Shores, Franks & Guest)